In March 2021 the NWG Network in partnership with the Children’s Society launched a benchmarking tool for local safeguarding partnerships or equivalent multi-agency groups to use to help them improve their response to missing and exploited children and young people. The tool draws predominantly upon evidence from the Children’s Society’s research the First Step.

So far 32 local authority areas have used the tool – reporting significant improvements to the way are able to respond to young people at risk of exploitation.    

In May 2022, a year on, we held a learning and sharing event. A summary of this event along with case studies and examples of positive changes that local areas have made can be found here.

Following feedback from areas that have used the tool, we have developed an additional resource to support those facilitating sessions as part of the tool to approach facilitation in a confident, open and reflective way – you can access the facilitator notes here.

We also heard that those using the tool would like a space where they can come together to discuss successes and challenges – we have listened to this and will be holding quarterly surgeries with the first session being held on September 8^th 2022, please get in touch for joining details.

The NWG, The Children’s Society and others will be working on a Transitions section of the Missing Benchmarking Tool.

If you haven’t completed the tool in your area and would like to get started please get in touch with [email protected] who will be able to support you with this.